If I could get a quarter for every time I got mistaken for Link at Colossalcon...XD

I've been wanting to cosplay Fado for a few years now, but I felt it would be a bit out of place if I just did it on my own without a group, but now that I've got some Toon Link friends to cosplay with, I had an opportunity! The HD release of Wind Waker is also coming out this Fall, so it's good timing!

I played the violin since I was in 5th grade up until I graduated High School, so that was the big trigger for me. XDViolins are expensive, so I didn't paint my real one, though I used it as a reference for making Fado's.

The concept art is pretty stylized (no strings, bridge, bow hair...), so I kinda took an artistic license and designed the prop so that would look like it could function as the real thing. Most of it is made out of Pink Panther insulation foam that was sanded and carved into with two different types of heat knives. The strings are made out of jewelry wire, and the bridge is foam board. The wire is wrapped around some wooden pegs that are glued in place at the top and bottom.The bow is a wooden dowel with pieces of insulation foam on both ends for the more shaped pieces. Bias tape is wrapped around it for the grip, and I used a ribbon to act as the bow hair. All foam pieces were sealed with mod podge first before it was all painted.

The tunic was just modified from a shirt pattern. The sleeves and lining are broadcloth, and the main fabric for the tunic and hat are made out of microsuede. The design details are an orange satin, and I think the cuffs and apron were just a thicker muslin material (I got it from the remnants bin at JoAnns XD). I appliqued the designs with heat n bond with a satin stitch around the edges. The belt on the apron is just a vinyl, and it snaps in the back. The collar at the top is just a white twill, and the whole thing zips up the back. The hat was literally just a cone of fabric with a band around it. There's a red tassle that I got in the home decor notions area at JoAnn's for his apron, and the top of it was covered by a bell (I bent it with pliers to attach it).

It's not pictured in this photo, but I'm using my leggings from my Skyward Sword Link cosplay. I feel his design could be interpreted with either skin-toned or tan leggings, or he might not have any (which is the more likely since he's a Kokiri), though I prefer the idea of having leggings to keep people from looking up my tunic like a skirt. So there. XD Also not pictured are my awesome boots, which look silly but cute. You'll see them later.

The wig is a Derek in Lemon from Arda Wigs. I struggled a lot trying to figure out what the heck his hair color was supposed to be because it's more green in the artwork, but blonde/yellow in the game render. Lemon is a nice cooler blonde tone, so I feel it suited him well.

I play violin and not sure if you do, but that bow looks way too long, too, so i'm not sure if you're just sliding your hand up way too far, or its in the right place and the frog is just huge. Otherwise, cool pic

This is one awesome cosplay! I have always wanted to play a violin, but my music teacher denied me to play it when we were registering instruments back in the 5th grade, so I play the cello, and it's really cool! There should be more cosplays of Fado, it seems like he's always forgotten when people cosplay as characters from Wind Waker.

Great work on the violin prop! It's such a lovely instrument so it's cool that you can really play one.

I have a question for you: how do you go about cleaning your costumes (if you do) since they're made from so many different materials? I was sewing a costume piece last year and a friend gave me grief over choosing the same materials because they require different care when cleaning.

I am so mad right now!! I didn't have the money to go to ColossalCon, but I totally would have changed my con plans if I had known you were going! Aw man! I'm definitely going next year! Great cosplay btw! Did anybody recognize you as Fado?

I saw you in this at Colossalcon! I also thought you were Link, but I recognized your face right away. I was going to come up and say hi to you, but you were talking to someone and I didn't want to be rude, then I didn't see you again for the rest of the con. Anyway, this cosplay is really pretty and I love the violin you made for it.